3 forest personnel suspended for illegal disposal of elephant carcass with missing tusks in Similipal forest

Baripada: Taking a serious note of the illegal disposal of an elephant carcass with missing tusks case, the authority of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) reportedly suspended three forest personnel for their negligence in duty today.

The suspended forest personnel have been identified as in-charge Ranger Shiv Kumar Samal, Forester, and Forest Guard. The trio has been suspended for dereliction of duty.

It is to be noted here that some wildlife smugglers killed an elephant, stole the tusks and abandoned the carcass in the forests around 15 days ago. Later, the local forest personnel allegedly burned the carcass of the pachyderm and disposed some parts in a water body.

The Similipal Tiger Reserve soon formed a team of 50 forest officials and veterinarians after knowing about the matter and started an investigation.

The special team visited the spot and seized some remains of the dead animal, informed Regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF) T Ashok Kumar. These remains have been sent to the Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) in Bhubaneswar for a test, he added.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.